Half to samuel little



(No Model.)

J. "I' GURNEY,

REPBIGERATOR.

No. 249,758. Patented Nov. 22,1881.

llNrTan STaTes PATENT TriceE J. THEODORE GURNEY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO SAMUEL LITTLE, OF SAME PLACE.`

REFRIGERATOR.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 249,758, dated November 22, 1881.

Application filed September 30, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, J.THEonoRE GURNEY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Boston, in the countyof Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in ro the art to which it apperta-ins to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the structure of ice-tanks or the receptacles for holding the refrigerante in refrigerators, these improvements being applicable tothe tanks used in domestic or house refrigerators,'and zo also the refrigerators used in cars, wagons, and

vessels.

Figure 1 shows, in perspective, an ice-tank adapted for a house or domestic refrigerator, and embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of a refrigerating-chamber adapted for use in cars, wagons, or vessels, and showing also ice-tanks of a slightly-inedified form, but embodying my invention. Fig. 3 is a vertical section otl a house or domestic 3o refrigerator, and of an ice-tank of the form shown in Fig. l, illustrating the method of attaching and suspending the latter in a refrigerator. Fig. 4 is a viewof a modilied form. Fig. 5 is a top view of one corner of the lower 3 5 part of the refrigerator shown in Fig. 3.A Fig. 6 is a perspective, and Fig. 7 a section, ot' a tank similar to that shown in Fig. 2, except that the last said figures show a drip-pan combined therewith, and also apertures in the bot- 4.o tom of the tank.

In the drawings, AArepresed t the sidewalls of the tank. They are made to converge slightly toward the bottom, in order that any water which may condense on the outside thereof can be readily collected by the drip-receptacle below. At or near the bottom ofthe side walls there are formed apertures a a, preferably by cutting slits in the sheet metal of which the tank is formed and turning inward 5o the pieces between the slits, thus providing inwardly-turned lips b b. These lips, however, may be. formed by solderin g or otherwise attachin g pieces to the inside of the walls of the tank, at or near the upper edges of the apertures o u. These inwardly-turned portions b b serve, first, to assist in supporting the rack B, whereon the ice is placed; second, to prevent any small pieces of ice from escaping outwardly 5 and, third, to assist in compelling the air which enters the tank at the lower part to 6o enter properly. With these inwardly-turned lips, and with the walls of the tank, l combine also outwardly-turned lips o c-that is, lips which incline outwardly from the planes of the side walls, the aforesaid lips?) b inclining inwardly from said planes. The outwardly and upwardly turned lips c c may be formed by soldering separate pieces or strips to the lower edges of the side walls A; or they may be formed in one piece with the bottom C of the 7o tank and turned or struck upward, the lips shown in Figs. l, 3, and et being made in the manner last described, and those in Figs. 2, 6, and 7 being formed in thewaytlrst mentionedthat is, by-soldering separate strips to the side walls. The outwardly-turned lips o o operate, first, of themselves, to catch the water which may condense upon the outer surfaces of the tank and conduct it inward through the apertures e a, that it may pass through the 8o bottom C to the waste-pipe D; and, secondly, they operate, in conjunction with the inwardlyturned lips b b and with the perforated side walls, to properly conduct into 'thelower part of the ice-tank that portion ofthe air from the 8 5 refrigerator which cannot rise to the top of the tank A. a

The water which results from the melting of the ice, and also that which is condensed from the air-currents, collects on the bottom of the 9o tank and passes downward through the aperture or apertures m m. It may be taken directly to the drip-pipe l), or may drop on the pan or trough K and pass from said pan to the pipe. This drip-pan K enables the air to escape readily from the tank by permitting the use of apertures m m in the bottom, and also collects the water which may condense on the under side of said bottom. The pan can be supported by means of straps l l, or in any. roo

suitable way. 'Ihe practical results of a refrigerator constructed thus are to produce a perfectly dry, pure air, and to cause the entrance of the air at 'several points vertically, the inwardly-turned lips b b and the outwardlyturned lips c c compelling the air to enter properly at the bottom.

In Figs. l, 3, and 4 a square tank is shown, this being the form best adapted for use in a house or domestic refrigerator. Such a form is not, however, absolutely necessary in order to embody my invention, as the tank may be constructed in U shape or a V shape, which latter is the form I have found most advantageous for use in wagons and transporting-vehicles.

A novel manner of supporting the tank in the domestic refrigerator is employed, Iaiming at simplicityand cheapnessin construction, and also at readiness of detachability, so that the whole ice-receptacle can bet'requently removed for the purpose of thoroughly cleansing it and the refrigerator-apartment. The supporting devices are made as follows:

E E represent arms, attached to the upper edges of the ice-tank in sufficient number to give a. strong' support. rlhey extend outwardly, as at c e, and upwardly, as at ff, and are provided at their upper ends with hooks or catches, as at g g.

In the upper .edges of the walls F F of the refrigerating-ch amber, below the cover Gr, there are formed sockets h h, (see Fig. 5,) adapted to receive and securely hold the catches g g. When the tank is supported in position there is an open space left between its walls and the walls F F, sufficiently wide to permit a free passage of air upward and over the walls to theinteriorof the tank, thetank being nowhere in contact with the surrounding walls.

When tanks of the form shown in Fig. 2 are employed they are supported by means of a rack or frame-work, such as is shown in said figure, and substantially such as shown in another application ot' mine, except that in my present construction the top brace, H, ot' each side rack extends a little beyond the center of the chamber, and is provided with a tongueor tenon, whereby a single bolt, as at i', is sucient to hold the racks and the tanks firmly in position. Whether the tank be of the form shown in Figs. l and 3 or of thei'orm shown in Figs. 2 and 6, the passage of the air into, through, and out from it -is substantially the same-thatis, in both the li ghter air and gases rise to the top of the tank and pass down, around, and amidst the particles of ice and out through the apertures m m, while the heavier air and gases can iind access to and direct contact with theice by passing inward between the lips b and c, in order that they may dcposit the impurities which they contain, and which it is impossible to lift to the top ofthe tank on account of the greater gravity.

To obtain a greater support for the rack B, the inwardly-projecting lips b b may be curled upward and outward and have' their edges soldered to the walls, as shown in Fig. 4.

1f desired, the pan or trough K may be formed of the bottom of the tank itself, and the pipe D may be extended continuously thereto, the rack B', suspended somewhat above the bottom,operatingtopreventniuch ofthe'sweating that generally occurs on the under side, (see Fig. 2;) but as it is in practice almost impossible to entirely prevent| this sweating, I prefer to use one ofthe constructions shown in Figs. 3, 4, or 7.

1. The herein -describcd detachable icereceptacle for refrigerators, having the side walls A A, the lips b b, projecting inwardly from the planes of said side walls, the lips c c, projecting outwardly from said planes, and the apertures a a between the inner lips, b b, and the outer lips, c c, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the refrigerator having sockets h It in the side walls F, ofthe detachable ice-tank having the walls A A, provided with the arms E E and the hooks g g, situated outside ot' the planes ol' the side walls, and having the apertures a a., the inwardlyturned lips b b, and the outwardly-turned lips c c, substantially as set forth.

3. The ice-tank having the walls A, the apertures a, a, the outwardly-turned lips c c, and the lips b, turned inward and coiled upward to form supports for the racks, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the tank havingl the apertures a a, theinwardly-turned lips b b, the outwardly-turned lips c c, the perforated bottom C, the drip-pan K, suspended beneath the tank, and the pipe D, substantially as set forth.

1n testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J. THEODOltl GUlztNllY.

\Vitnesses I-IENRY W nssLING, HENRY II. PAGE.

IOS 

